


Simple (unless we die)

by ShadowsOffense



Category: Firefly
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Engineers, Established Relationship, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-14
Updated: 2014-02-14
Packaged: 2018-01-12 07:30:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1183547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsOffense/pseuds/ShadowsOffense
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt:  Inara/Kaylee, skills, shyness, beauty, strength, tools, sandalwood</p>
<p>Kaylee’s kink with engines has <i>completely</i> taken over this fic.  Somehow, in telling it from her perspective, things totally got out of hand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Simple (unless we die)

**Author's Note:**

> Translations at the end

Inara’s knock on Kaylee’s door is always perfunctory, something she does absently as she enters; she’s normally already down the ladder before Kaylee can respond. Kaylee doesn’t mind, she likes that Inara is so free with her. It reminds her of her mother, actually, although it’s the only thing about Inara that does. The Companion’s world is so far from Kaylee’s that the fact that _anything_ about Inara could remind her of home strains the boundaries of reality. But there it is.

Yet, Inara is the only one who waits to be invited into the engine room. It isn’t like its private or anything; everyone else just comes and goes, but not Inara. 

Kaylee was on her hands and knees, half under the engine, replacing another section of the coolant tubing -which was wearing out mighty quick the way Mal had ‘em burning out of atmo so fast all the time- when she heard the tentative tapping outside the open door. It was ten types of hot under there with the coolant off, so Kaylee took to opportunity to stand up, rather than just shout Inara in like she normally did.

“Hey ‘Nara,” Kaylee wiped the back of her head across her sweaty forehead self-consciously as she caught sight of the immaculately dressed woman. “Come on in,” she added as Inara hesitated.

Stepping over the edge, Inara stopped just inside the door, tentative in a way Kaylee had only seen here, in this room. Her dress was red and saffron, colors she favored, making her seem like a living flame in the heat. 

Kaylee’s eyes moved to Inara’s face comparing the red of her lips to the dress. Those lips curled into a smile as she stared, letting Kaylee know she had become a little obvious in her appreciation. 

“Hush,” she scolded the Companion. “You can’t show up looking like that an’ expect a girl not to take a look.”

Inara laughed, holding her hands up placatingly. “I said nothing.”

Kaylee snorted. “Words aren’t the only way you talk,” she said, grinning a little, herself.

The Companion shook her head, diplomatically letting the remark slide. “I came to see if you had the afternoon free, but it looks like you’ve got your hands full.”

“Not really,” Kaylee said, making Inara’s eyes widen incredulously. Glancing at the exposed cords and wires, Kaylee realized that it did look like a major project was going on in here. “I’m just replacing some tubing in her heart; had to get that other stuff out of the way,” she patted the engine meaningfully. “Won’t take long, but I’ll have to hang around an’ keep an eye on her after. Make sure everything’s flowin’ ok.”

Inara gave her a soft smile and Kaylee blushed as the Companion stared at her with something akin to admiration. “Why are you lookin’ at me like that?” Kaylee wondered out loud.

Inara tilted her head to the side. “Like what?”

“Like I just said something special.”

Inara blinked. “What you do is special,” she replied.

“It’s just know-how,” Kaylee blushed harder. “You could do it too.”

Inara took a half step back. “I’m afraid if I move, I’ll break something,” she confided.

It was Kaylee’s turn to blink in surprise. She knew how that felt; hell, every time she walked in Inara’s door she felt like she might damage something just by being in the same room. “Come on,” she stepped forward and took Inara’s hand. “She ain’t glass. I’ll show you how it’s done.”

Inara pulled back as Kaylee tried to tug her forward. “I couldn’t.”

“Trust me,” Kaylee rolled her eyes. “It’s real simple. All we gotta do is thread in that length of tube there an’ seal it in. Easy as you please.”

Inara sighed and allowed Kaylee to lead her over. “If I break the ship I’m telling Mal it’s your fault,” she warned.

“Fair enough,” Kaylee agreed amicably.

She pulled the Companion in close beside her, over the open panel. “Now, ya take this,” she handed Inara an end of the coolant tube, trying to ignore the soft scent of sandalwood that tickled her nose through the grease. “An’ reach your hand in there.”

She looked at Inara expectantly, licking her lips as the Companion’s arm slid slowly into the engine. “Right, just like that,” Kaylee felt sweat gathering on her brow and she looked away hastily. “ _Dung ee hwar_ ,” Kaylee coughed, clearing her throat as her voice emerge somewhat huskily, to her own ears at any rate. “Let me crawl under there, then hand me your end, alright?”

“Whatever you say,” Inara replied as Kaylee dropped to her belly and shimmed under the engine. “You’re the boss here.”

Underneath, it was even hotter. The air was smothering, tasting like salt and oil on Kaylee’s tongue. Sweat ran freely down her face and she reached up where she knew the shaft came through, feeling blindly for Inara’s fingers. She jump a little as their skin made contact, skimming her fingers over Inara’s until she encountered the cold foil of the tube. 

“Alright, I got it,” she called. “Now, you can let go, but keep your arm in there an’ feed it to me.”

She heard whispers of movement, and, being careful not to tug faster then Inara was lowering, threaded the tube over the engine block and back through the main body of the compression coil with a deft touch.

“How do you do this by yourself?” Inara questioned as they worked.

Kaylee grinned in the semi-darkness, glancing over at Inara’s ankles before moving her eyes back to her work. “Well, it takes longer!” she called back. “I probably own you a favor now,” she added.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” the Companion teased.

Moments later, Kaylee reached the junction she had been aiming for. “'At’s good,” she called to Inara. Fumbling the sparker out of her pocket she fused the tube in place, and crawled back out.

The air felt blessedly cool as she emerged. Climbing to her feet she glanced over at Inara and nearly burst out laughing. “You can take your hand out now,” she advised the companion, trying to keep the smirk off her face.

“ _Bizui_ ,” Inara blushed, and slowly pulled her hand free. Streaks of oil shimmered on her pale skin and Kaylee tossed her a rag.

“Thanks,” Inara rubbed the cloth across her arm delicately, then harder as the oil clung to her, making Kaylee shift uncomfortably. “Are we done?”

“Almost,” Kaylee caught the cloth as Inara tossed it back. “We need to fuse on the other end here. Wanna do it?”

“Why not?” Inara wiped some perspiration off own forehead, making Kaylee aware of how the clothing was clinging to both of them. “I’ve done this much.”

Kaylee gave her the sparker and held the tube in place while Inara ran the flame over the rim, sealing it on.

“That’s it then,” Kaylee pronounced as Inara turned the tool off.

Inara looked around at the paneling on the deck and cables that still hung half out. “Don’t you need to,” she gestured vaguely.

“Not yet. I gotta make sure everything will hold together before I close it up tight. Need to test it now.” Kaylee crossed to the com on the wall and flicked it on. “We’re set down here, Wash. Go for engine check.”

“Right-O,” his voice crackled back through the speaker. “Going for engine check. Let me know if something blows up.”

“ _Shi shi_ ,” Kaylee replied, shutting off the com and turning back to Inara as the companion tugged on her sleeve.

“Is that possible?” Inara demanded.

“Uh,” Kaylee hedged. “ _Fahng-sheen_ , it almost never happens. I mean, you woulda really had to’ve humped somethin’ up….”

“ _Run-tse duh fwotzoo_ ,” Inara looked pale.

“Really, I’ve never seen it happen. We did a shiny job,” Kaylee put a hand on the Companion’s shoulder reassuringly, then drew back with an exclamation of dismay. “I’m sorry ‘Nara,” she said, staring at the grease now staining the rich dress.

“I guess this wasn’t the best thing to wear for engine repairs,” she reached over to stroke Kaylee’s cheek. “Don’t worry about it.”

“But,” Kaylee started to protest, but Inara leaned in and cut her off with a kiss. Kaylee surrendered with a groan, parting her lips for Inara’s tongue. Her hands started to move to the Companion’s hips but she froze, mindful of how this started. “Wait!” Pulling back from the kiss, Kaylee hopped over to the door controls and shut them in. “Take that off, first,” she gestured at Inara’s dress.

Inara looked a little dazed to have been left suddenly standing alone but she recovered quickly, rolling her eyes at Kaylee. “Alright,” she agreed. “But you worry too much for my clothes; they’re meant to be stained and are easy to clean.”

“Not by engine oil,” Kaylee said firmly. “What would your clients think if you showed up all greasy?”

“That I was planning ahead?” Inara laughed at the face Kaylee made in response. “Or I might end up with someone who looks at me like you do,” she teased, sliding the dress down her shoulders and stepping free.

She had a comeback, but the sight of Inara standing naked in the engine room short circuited Kaylee’s ability to answer. Besides, Inara was right anyway. Hell, everyone on the ship knew Kaylee had a thing for engines thanks to the fuss Bester made when Mal had thrown him over for her. 

She couldn’t help it.

The ship hummed around them, pulsing rhythmically as it powered everything else, like it was alive. And they stood in the center of it, their bodies humming the same way; flesh and blood but somehow more. Somehow capable of flight.

Kaylee shed her own clothing quickly and stepped back over to Inara.

“How distracted can you afford to get?” Inara asked, running her hands up Kaylee’s arms.

Kaylee stepped closer, moving her hands to Inara’s hips and guided her backwards, walking them towards the back wall. “Wash has the readouts. He’ll shout down if things head to red. I should have plenty of time to get the fire suppression systems up an’ working.”

“Good,” Inara whispered, letting her hands slip from Kaylee’s shoulders to cup her breasts. Kaylee’s eyes slammed shut as Inara’s fingers fluttered over her nipples and she bent her head to kiss the Companion’s neck. Nipping lightly she tasted salt and an almost metallic tang from the sandalwood. 

“Down,” she gasped, both a plea and command, tugging Inara down to the deck. “Lay down.”

“Alright.”

Inara moved gracefully to lay on the deck, half propped up on her elbows as Kaylee knelt between her legs. The glow from Serenity’s compression block engine bathed them in orange and Kaylee took a moment just to stare. Reaching forward she drew a smudged line of shimmery oil down to Inara’s navel, before Inara wrapped her arms around Kaylee’s back and pulled her the rest of the way on top of her.

Even with the coolant running, the room hadn’t really had time to cool down any and laying flush against Inara’s body was almost more than Kaylee could stand. Inara’s lips found hers as her hips rocked up into Kaylee’s stomach and their nipples sparked together. Spreading her legs, Kaylee forced Inara’s further apart and threaded a hand between them. Her fingers stroked through coarse curls and Inara gasped into the kiss.

Wetness met Kaylee’s fingers, like oil and grease, letting them glide together. She slipped a finger partway into Inara, teasing her opening, before moving back up to rub her clit lightly.

“ _Bao bay_ ,” Inara’s hands tightened against Kaylee’s back, nails stinging slightly as she arched into Kaylee’s touch. 

Gentle and sure, Kaylee pinched the sensitive flesh, then rolled her finger up across it as she pulled lightly. Doing it again, she reduced Inara’s breathing to whimpers. Sex wasn’t so different from gentle tug of threading a coolant cable, actually.

Kaylee’s face flushed harder, blood swimming in her ears, as she remembered how Inara had looked with her arm deep inside Serenity. The ship open and vulnerable around her, accepting Inara into her, as the Companion had guided the cable where it needed to go, helping Kaylee fix what was broken and taking gentle care with the rest.

“’Nara,” Kaylee gasped over the pounding of blood in her head. “’Nara go inside.”

Kaylee sped up the motion of her fingers as Inara’s hand slid down over the swell of Kaylee’s hip, pressing flat against her stomach before moving between her legs. Holding back a cry, Kaylee bit her lip as Inara’s fingers slid into her, matching her thrusts with Kaylee’s motions on her clit. Serenity kept time for them, setting the pace as Inara reached into Kaylee with the same delicate touch she had used on the ship, curling her fingers against the spot inside Kaylee. Inara’s finger had curled just that way when she was reaching for Kaylee’s hand with the tubing, she remembered.

Crying out, Kaylee ground down on Inara’s hand harder. Her eyes went wide as Inara’s other hand left her back and flicked lightly against Kaylee’s clit. Dropping her head to rest on Inara’s chest and arching her back, Kaylee came, tightening around Inara’s fingers. Lips pressed softly against her cheek, as Inara twisted her neck down to kiss her.

“Good?” she asked, her breath tickling Kaylee’s ear.

“ _Lao tyen yeh_ ,” Kaylee replied as she got her breath back. “Yes. Very.”

Moving slowly, she pulled off of Inara’s fingers and slid down, her own fingers sliding away from Inara’s center as her lips and tongue took their place.

“Kaylee,” Inara moaned in satisfaction as Kaylee sucked. 

Tasting there had none of the refined flavor of Inara’s skin. It was primal, organic, and Kaylee let her tongue slip into the source. In what felt like no time, Inara’s fingers grasped Kaylee’s hair, holding her close as she arched against her face.

As Inara relaxed back onto the deck, Kaylee pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh, before sliding up beside her. Glancing between the turning engine and the sweat soaked Companion, Kaylee smiled.

Following her gaze, Inara looked at the machine with open relief. “I guess nothing blew up.”

“What did I tell you,” Kaylee traced a hand down Inara’s side, curling their bodies together on the floor. “Real simple. How she moves? Shows you what she needs, just gotta listen to her is all.”

“Mmm,” Inara hummed in agreement. “Sounds like my line of work.”

Kaylee blushed but it didn’t stop her from making the offer. “You could help, from time to time, if you like? Get you used to her.”

Inara chuckled. “I guess you’ll own me quite a few favors then.”

“You can use ‘em so I’ll take the blame with Mal if you blow us up,” Kaylee suggested, earning a full blown laugh from the woman curled against her side.

Serenity’s engines seemed to hum along in perfect agreement.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Dung ee hwar_ – hold on a second  
>  _Bizui_ – shut up  
>  _Fahng-sheen_ – don’t worry  
>  _Run-tse duh fwotzoo_ – merciful Buddha  
>  _Bao bay_ – sweetheart  
>  _Lao tyen yeh_ – Jesus


End file.
